Shrimp and Grit Enchiladas

September 28, 2017

Cheesy creamy shrimp and grits spiked with pork sausage can be the most satisfying meal any time of the day. I decided to make that classic meal into some juicy smothered enchiladas bursting with shrimp and grits flavors.

The cool thing about making grits into enchiladas, is that the enchiladas take on a tamale flavor from the cornmeal. It's sort of a cheaters way of getting your tamale craving taken care of.

The fresh slaw loaded with lime juice and cilantro is so necessary in this dish because the tart freshness really cuts the otherwise heavy dish.

Start by making the sauce. Roast the tomatillos, shallots, jalapeno, and garlic with plenty of olive oil and salt.
Blend smooth. I also added some canned green chiles and cilantro stems to this.
Then make the grits. The cornmeal goes into the chicken stock and then you whisk and cook for about a half an hour.
Sausage, cojita, and cheddar are stirred in at the end.
After the grits cool a little, stuff the tortillas with grits and the raw shrimp, then roll it up.
Put them all in the pan and top with the sauce and more cheese.
After it comes out of the oven top it with the slaw and serve!
The slaw is just cabbage, carrot, scallions, cilantro, and lime juice. It really freshens up the dish!
These enchiladas are soooo satisfying. The cheese and grits ooze out of the tortillas when you cut it, and the shrimp is perfectly tender and tasty.

Shrimp and Grit Enchiladas

Green Sauce

8Tomatilloshusk removed, cleaned, and quartered

3Jalapenoscut in half and seeds removed

2largeShallotscut into chunks

2clovesGarlicpeeled

1/4cupOlive Oil

1canOld El Paso Green Chiles

2tablespoonsRed Vinegar

2tablespoonsdiced cilantro stems

1/4cupChicken Stock

Polenta

1/2poundSpanish chorizocubed

1cupGrits

4cupsChicken Stock

2cupsGrated Cheddar

1cupcrumbled cojita

slaw

1/4of a small headPurple Cabbagesliced thin

1/4of a small headgreen cabbagesliced thin

1largeCarrotjulienne peeled

1bunchScallionschopped

1/2cupChopped Cilantro

2Limes(juice)

1tablespoonHoney

Enchiladas

10Old El Paso Flour Tortillas for Burritos

30large shrimppeeled and devined

Instructions

Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, shallots, and garlic on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast at 500 for about 20 minutes to lightly brown and soften the veggies.

Pour the veggies and all of the remaining olive oil on the pan into a bowl with the can of green chiles, vinegar, and cilantro stems. Add a little chicken stock if needed. Blend until smooth.

Cook the chorizo in some olive oil to brown. Remove from pan. Add the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits into the broth. Bring to a simmer.

Whisk in the grits. Simmer for about 20 minutes whisking often until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the chorizo and half of both cheeses. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before using in the enchiladas.

Mix the slaw ingredients. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425

Build the enchiladas by first putting some of the green sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Put a tortilla down on your work surface and top with about 1/2 cup of the grit mixture. Add 3 raw shrimp, and then roll up the tortilla tightly. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until you have used all the shrimp.

Top with the rest of the green sauce, then add the rest of the cheeses.

Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.. Top with the slaw and serve.